Event Notification Report for December 18, 2006
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
EVENT REPORTS FOR
12/17/2006 - 12/18/2006
Other Nuclear Material
Event Number: 43176
Rep Org: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Licensee: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region: 1
City: EDISON State: NJ
County:
License #:
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: RODNEY DORWIN
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN
Licensee: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region: 1
City: EDISON State: NJ
County:
License #:
Agreement: N
Docket:
NRC Notified By: RODNEY DORWIN
HQ OPS Officer: STEVE SANDIN
Notification Date: 02/20/2007
Notification Time: 17:30 [ET]
Event Date: 12/18/2006
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/21/2007
Notification Time: 17:30 [ET]
Event Date: 12/18/2006
Event Time: 00:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 02/21/2007
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X
10 CFR Section:
20.2201(a)(1)(i) - LOST/STOLEN LNM>1000X
Person (Organization):
TODD JACKSON (R1)
SCOTT MOORE (FSME)
TODD JACKSON (R1)
SCOTT MOORE (FSME)
DEVICE CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE SOURCES INADVERTENTLY SENT TO RECYCLING FACILITY
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 2 is reporting that an X-ray fluorescence analyzer (model X-Met 880) bought by an EPA contractor in 1990 intended for handing over to EPA REAC/ERT, a headquarters facility in 1995, was inadvertently picked up on December 18, 2006 from the EPA Region 2 facility in Edison, NJ. EPA Region 2 health & safety personnel were notified on Friday afternoon, February 16, 2007, that the analyzer sent with other equipment to a Canadian recycling facility was screened, found to contain a radioactive component, and set aside under lock and key. This was inconsistent with information that sources were removed from any equipment sent. Contact was successfully made with the recycling facility on Tuesday after President's Day, February 20, 2007, confirming that the facility had detected the sources in the analyzer. Region 2 staff has also endeavored to contact EPA headquarters personnel thought to have responsibility for this analyzer, but as of this writing have not received a response.
"The analyzer, containing 100 mCi of Cm-244 and 30 mCi of Am-241 is intact, in its original case and is secured by the company awaiting return to EPA. If Region 2 EPA is the party that must take this back then it plans to have the unit wipe tested before return."
* * * UPDATE 1420 EST ON 2/21/07 FROM QWONG CHO TO S. SANDIN * * *
The device was purchased by Roy F. Weston Corp. while under contract to the U.S. EPA and was stored in a locked warehouse in Edison, NJ since approximately 1995. The Model X-Met 880 S/N is 144216 and the two sealed source S/N's are 2765LX (Am-241) and 1951LM (Cm-244). The device is currently in the custody of Maser Canada, Inc. located in Barrie, Ontario pending arrangements for its return. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is aware of this incident.
Notified R1DO (Jackson) and FSME (Morell).
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks.
This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source
"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 2 is reporting that an X-ray fluorescence analyzer (model X-Met 880) bought by an EPA contractor in 1990 intended for handing over to EPA REAC/ERT, a headquarters facility in 1995, was inadvertently picked up on December 18, 2006 from the EPA Region 2 facility in Edison, NJ. EPA Region 2 health & safety personnel were notified on Friday afternoon, February 16, 2007, that the analyzer sent with other equipment to a Canadian recycling facility was screened, found to contain a radioactive component, and set aside under lock and key. This was inconsistent with information that sources were removed from any equipment sent. Contact was successfully made with the recycling facility on Tuesday after President's Day, February 20, 2007, confirming that the facility had detected the sources in the analyzer. Region 2 staff has also endeavored to contact EPA headquarters personnel thought to have responsibility for this analyzer, but as of this writing have not received a response.
"The analyzer, containing 100 mCi of Cm-244 and 30 mCi of Am-241 is intact, in its original case and is secured by the company awaiting return to EPA. If Region 2 EPA is the party that must take this back then it plans to have the unit wipe tested before return."
* * * UPDATE 1420 EST ON 2/21/07 FROM QWONG CHO TO S. SANDIN * * *
The device was purchased by Roy F. Weston Corp. while under contract to the U.S. EPA and was stored in a locked warehouse in Edison, NJ since approximately 1995. The Model X-Met 880 S/N is 144216 and the two sealed source S/N's are 2765LX (Am-241) and 1951LM (Cm-244). The device is currently in the custody of Maser Canada, Inc. located in Barrie, Ontario pending arrangements for its return. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is aware of this incident.
Notified R1DO (Jackson) and FSME (Morell).
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks.
This source is not amongst those sources or devices identified by the IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety & Security of Radioactive Sources to be of concern from a radiological standpoint. Therefore is it being categorized as a less than Category 3 source
Power Reactor
Event Number: 43055
Facility: SUSQUEHANNA
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [1] [2] []
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: GORDON E. ROBINSON
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [1] [2] []
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: GORDON E. ROBINSON
HQ OPS Officer: JASON KOZAL
Notification Date: 12/18/2006
Notification Time: 13:55 [ET]
Event Date: 12/18/2006
Event Time: 11:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 12/18/2006
Notification Time: 13:55 [ET]
Event Date: 12/18/2006
Event Time: 11:00 [EST]
Last Update Date: 12/18/2006
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(2)(xi) - OFFSITE NOTIFICATION
Person (Organization):
RAY POWELL (R1)
RAY POWELL (R1)
| Unit | SCRAM Code | RX Crit | Initial PWR | Initial RX Mode | Current PWR | Current RX Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation |
| 2 | N | Y | 100 | Power Operation | 100 | Power Operation |
INADVERTENT ACTUATION OF OFF-SITE EMERGENCY SIRENS
"A press release issued for an inadvertent actuation of the emergency sirens. This item is reportable under 50.72(b)(2)(xi) as offsite notification as an event of public interest."
The licensee was performing scheduled silent testing of the off-site emergency sirens. During the test a signal for the sirens to sound was sent in error, and the sirens sounded. There was no emergency.
Licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.
"A press release issued for an inadvertent actuation of the emergency sirens. This item is reportable under 50.72(b)(2)(xi) as offsite notification as an event of public interest."
The licensee was performing scheduled silent testing of the off-site emergency sirens. During the test a signal for the sirens to sound was sent in error, and the sirens sounded. There was no emergency.
Licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.